Sway bar operated banking car with banking motion center located near the height of the center of gravity of the superstructure



Aug. 28. 1956 KOLBE 2,760,785

SWAY BAR OPERATED BANKINg CAR WITH BANKING MOTION CENTER LOCATED NEARTHE HEIGHT OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE Filed Sept.25, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. JOACHIM KOLBE Attorneys 2,760,785SWAY BAR OPERATED BANKING CAR WITH BANKING MOTION CENTER LOCATED NEARTHE HEIGHT OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE F1 led Sept.25, 1955 J. KOLBE Aug. 28. 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 'JOACHIMKOLBE m MM Attorneys Aug. 28, 1956 J. KOLBE 2,760,785

SWAY BAR OPERATED BANKING CAR WITH BANKING MOTION CENTER LOCATED NEARTHE HEIGHT OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE Filed Sept.25, 195:5 5 Sheets-Sheet s FIG. 3.

IN VEN TOR. JOAOHIM KOLBE Attorneys 28. 1956 J. KOLBE 2,760,785

SWAY BAR OPERATED BANKING CAR WITH BANKING MOTION CENTER LOCATED NEARTHE HEIGHT OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE} Filed Sept.25, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. JOACHIM KOLBE J Aug. 28. 1956 J.KOLBE 2,760,785 SWAY BAR OPERATED BANKING CAR WITH BANKING MOTION CENTERLOCATED NEAR THE HEIGHT OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE SUPERSTRUCTUREFi led Sept. 25, 1953 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. JOAGHIM KOLBEUnited Joachim Kolbe, Menomonee Falls, Wis.-

Application September 25, 1953, Serial No..382,412

6 Claims. (Cl. 280-112) This invention relates to banking vehicleshaving a superstructure supported by two or more correlated pairs ofWheels upon the road to turn during banking about both on effectivelongitudinally extending axis located in or near its center of mass as abanking motion center and a standard longitudinally extending effectiveaxis located near the road as an oscillation deflection motion center.

It is known to mount the superstructure of a vehicle in such a mannerupon the running gear that the centrifugal force causes the center ofmass of the superstructure to shift laterally relative to the runninggear turning thereby the superstructure into a position inclined towardsthe inside of a curve. United States Patents Nos. Re. 21,605 and Re.21,840, disclosing link mountings, and Nos. 2,576,686 and 2,580,558disclosing banking arm mountings, all granted to the present inventor,are referred to by way of example.

The present application is an improvementof theearlier filed applicationof the present inventor: U. .8. Serial No. 286,514, filed May 7, 1952,which describes a suspension method to facilitate the turn of thesuperstructure about its banking motion center by placing it near itscenter of mass and the use of power means to secure the turn.

The present invention is directed to the specific use of forcesavailable in modern passenger cars, but heretofore not made use of, forthe operation of the banking turn of the superstructure, and to thecontrol and distribution of th as forces with regard to wheeloscillation.

A principal-object of the invention is to greatly simplify banking carstructures and to retain more of the parts and operations of present daycars.

A second principal object of the invention is to employ forcesaccumulating during curve ride .in .presentday automobiles butheretofore not taken advantage of-and thereby exclude the employment ofadditional forces heretofore introduced or created for the singlepurpose of securing the banking turn of the superstructure.

Another object is to have both curve ride banking and opposition tounwanted banking positions during straight-ahead ride or resulting fromone-sided loading of the superstructure secured by the oscillationspring system itself.

Another object of the invention is to substantially reduce the lateralshift of the superstructure necessary to effect the banking turn of thesuperstructure about its effective longitudinally extending bankingmotion center axis by locating the axis substantially in the height ofthe center of mass for the superstructure.

Another object is to secure stability for'the superstructure both duringwheel oscillation and one-sidedloading within a structure otherwisedesigned to allow the superstructure to roll freely about its center ofbanking motion whenever the vehicle negotiates a curve.

Another object is to rearrange parts used in present day vehicles andplace themin a position favorable to fulfill additional functions andincrease the improvements basic to the invention.

rates atent O 2,760,785 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 Another object is tobring greater rigidity into the banking 'carstructure and to increaseits safety especially under 'high speed driving conditions.

Another object .is to secure wheel rates during oscillation of thewheels similar to those used in present day passenger automobiles.

Another object is to secure banking of the superstructure by employingoscillation movement of the wheels typical for curve ride withoutinfluence of the oscillation movement of the wheels on the position ofthe super-= structure during straight ahead ride.

Another object of the invention is the reduction in exterior width anddrive shaft sway and the increase in interior width for a vehicle rolledinto a banking position without the use of engine power assist units.

Another object is the use of inclined links for assistance in securingthe banking turn without forced change .in

height of the center of mass of the superstructure during the bankingturn.

Another object is to increase the margin'of safety for the vehicleagainst turning over during curve ride.

Another object is to reduce the weight of the parts required foreffecting the banking action.

The structure of the vehicle to which the present invention has beenapplied in general may include banking supports of any kind and as shownspecifically, combines ,banking :arm mountings described in some of theU. S. patentsreferred toabove-constructed to have a geometry layoutsecuring a banking motion center located substantially in the height ofthe center of mass of the superstructure, with resilient oscillationmountings of the kind wherein individual wheel oscillation is resistedby two separate springs, a main spring supporting also thesuperstructure and a so-called sway bar as used inmost present dayAmerican automobiles.

The term banking arm has been defined in the present inventors U. S.Patent No. 2,576,686 referred to above to include in effect the methodofoperation of the banking vehicle supported by such banking arms, bystating that .the location of the banking motion center should besubstantiallyabove the center of mass of the superstructure to providean effective lever arm for the center of :mass in actuating the bankingstructure.

The structure according to the present invention differs from thebanking arm supported vehicle referred to above in that& lever arm forthe center of mass is substantially avoided by the application of acorresponding geometry layout .change. The superstructure will not swingpendulum-like outwardly during the banking turn but will roll about itsown center of mass similar to the roll of a wheel about its spindle.Since the arrangement of parts is substantially identical to thearrangement defined under the termbanking arm, the difference in methodof operation typical for this invention is expressed by the use of theterms roll bankingarms and roll banking in the'following description.

Transverse sway bars, used as needed components of the banking structuredescribed hereinafter, are in use in present day cars to increase theresistance against an individual wheel upward or downward oscillationmovement compared to the same wheel moving upwardly or downwardly inunison with the other wheel of a pair of wheels. The difference inresistance is secured by keeping the sway bar substantially inoperativeWhenever both wheels of either the front pair of Wheels or the rear pairof wheels--assuming a sway bar is also used in the rear of thevehicle-oscillate in unison. Although other methods are known and willbe applicable to this invention, the most common arrangement to fulfillthe described mechanical requirement is the use of a torsion rod or barextending transversely of the vehicle and supported in a bearing on eachside of the frame or superstructure which allows a free rolling motionwithin the bearings for the torsion rod. Each end of the rod is shapedto form a substantially longitudinally and horizontally extending lever.Each free end of the lever is connected by means of a substantiallyvertically extending shackle to the outer end of the corresponding loweror upper suspension arm in case of independent wheel suspension and tothe outer end of the axle where a rigid axle is used as part of therunning gear.

It is a characteristic of sway bars that both the resistance against theindividual wheel oscillation is greater than against wheel pairoscillation and the resistance against a single wheel movement isadditionally increased when accompanied by a wheel oscillation movementof the other wheel of the pair in the opposite direction. The last-nameddinerence in resistance is the result of an additional loading of thetorsion sway bar and occurs especially during curve ride. This loadingconstitutes a dormant force in present day automobiles and a force madeuse of in banking cars built according to this invention.

The drawings furnished herewith illustrate the best mode of carrying outthe invention as presently contemplated and set forth hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle mounting including rollbanking arms and showing the arrangement of suspension means which formsthe basis of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle mounting using standard uppersuspension arms and showing the arrangement of the suspension meansaccording to this invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vehicle mounting of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4is a side elevation of the vehicle mounting of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a front end elevation of the structure shown in Figs. 2 to 4;

Fig. 6 is a front end elevation of the structure shown in Figs. 2 to 5as it appears during curve ride;

Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a sway bar operated from oneend;

Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of the sway bar operated fromboth ends in opposite directions;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the left front wheel suspension with thesuspension parts shown in the wheel down position; and

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the left front wheel suspension with theparts shown in a wheel up position.

The drawings in general illustrate a vehicle of the passenger automobiletype having a superstructure or body shown in broken outline andrepresented more positively as the chassis frame 1 in full linessupported by the wheels 2 on the road. The wheels 2 are arranged in twopairs, one pair at the front end and the other pair at the rear end ofthe superstructure. The Wheels of each pair are disposed on oppositesides of the superstructure and are equally spaced from the longitudinalcenter line of the superstructure.

The wheels 2 are secured to the superstructure 1 by the wheel or axlecarriers 3 which provide for vertical oscillation of each wheel relativeto the superstructure. The wheel or axle carriers 3 are arranged inpairs similar to the wheels and each pair is employed for connecting thecorresponding pair of wheels 2 to the superstructure.

The front wheels 2 and their corresponding wheel carriers 3 form a frontpair of roll banking arms which support the front end of thesuperstructure. Each front wheel carrier 3 consists of alower suspensionarm 4, an upper control arm 5 and a wheel supported member 6.

The lower suspension arm 4- is pivoted at its inner end by asubstantially horizontal hinge 7 to a banking hinge support member 8which in turn is pivoted to the superstructure 1 by an inclined rollbanking hinge 9. The outer end of the lower suspension arm 4 ispivotally connected to the lower end of the wheel support member 6. Theouter ends of the front wheel carriers 3 are interconnected by asuitable tie rod 10 to compel the carriers to operate in unison duringbanking.

The upper control arm 5 of each wheel carrier extends between thesuperstructure and the wheel support member 6 to which it is connectedby means of the ball and socket joint 11.

The rear wheels of the embodiment are carried by a rigid axle housingstructure 12. The rear axle carriers 3 are in the form of roll bankingarms to support the rear end of the superstructure for banking. Eachrear car rier 3 has a lower suspension arm 13 pivoted at its for wardend by a substantially horizontal hinge 14 to a roll banking hingesupport member 15 which in turn is piv-- oted to the superstructure byan inclined roll banking hinge 16. The rearward end of each lower rearsuspension arm 13 is pivoted to the axle housing structure 12 by meansof a universally movable ball joint 17.

As a means of resilient support for the superstructure torsion springs18 extend from the center part of the frame 1 to the front roll bankingarms on each side of the superstructure. The torsion springs 19 extendfrom the center part of the frame 1 to the rear roll banking arms oneach side of the superstructure. The rear end of each front torsionspring 18 and the front end of each rear torsion spring 19 is rigidlysecured to the superstructure. The front ends of the torsion springs 18and the rear ends of the torsion springs w are rotatably supported bythe frame l in bearings 29 and 21 respectively and shaped to formtransversely and horizontally extending lever arms 22 and 23respectively. The inner end of each front torsion spring lever arm 22 isconnected to a shackle 24 by a lower ball joint like connection 25. Theshackle 24 has an upper ball joint like connection 26 to the cantileverarm 27 extending rearwardly from the lower front suspension arm 4. Theinner end of each rear torsion spring lever arm 23 is connected to ashackle 23 by a lower ball joint like connection 29. The shackle 28 hasan upper ball joint like connection 30 to the cantilever arm 31extending forwardly from the lower rear suspension arm 13.

The length and position of the shackles 24 and 23 and the travel path ofthe roll banking arm supported end of each shackle relative to itsspring supported end during the turn of the respective roll banking armabout its corresponding roll banking hinge is a co-detertnining factorfor the banking geometry system as set forth in applicants co-pendingapplication U. S. Serial No. 742,496, filed April 19, 1947, and nowPatent No. 2,657,067, dated October 27, 1953. Any spring deflectionresulting from a change in wheel loading during curve ride can bemaintained during the roll banking turn if so desired or compensated forby repositioning the roll banking hinge itself.

The front pair of roll banking arms is correlated in its lateralmovement to the rear pair of roll banking arms by providing somesuitable connecting means such as connecting rod 32 between one rollbanking arm in the front and one roll banking arm in the rear of thevehicle. The rod 32 is pivo-tally supported in the front by the ball andsocket join-t 33 carried by the hinge support member 8. In the rear theconnecting rod 32 is pivotally supported by the ball and socket joint 34carried by the rear hinge support member 15.

The vertical resilient support of the superstructure upon the runninggear is secured by the longitudinally extending torsion springs 18 and19 on each side of the frame.

The superstructure remains free to turn about its newly introduced rollbanking mot-ion center located in the height of its center of mass inresponse to unsymmetrical loading of the superstructure sinceunsymmetrically placed load provides a lever arm relative to the bankingmotion center and both load and lever arm combine to form a turningmoment.

Sway bars are proposed according to this invention to overcomeunsymmetrical loading. Sway bars are in use in present day automobilesto resist turning of the superstructure about the standard oscillationdeflection motion center usually located near the road, as describedabove. In connection with the roll banking structure here described,such sway bars can easily be arranged to serve as a means of control ofthe turn of the superstructure about the roll banking motion center inresponse to uneven load, and to serve additionally to efiect the rollbanking turn whenever the vehicle negotiates a curve. Sway bars'are anew means and source of power for securing roll banking, and the mainsubject matter of this invention.

The drawings illustrate the front sway bar 35 extending transversely androtatably supported by the frame 1 in bearings 36 and 37 with sway bararms 38 and 39 extending rearwardly in a substantially horizontal plane.The free ends of the arms 38 and 39 are connected to the front shackles42 and 43 by universally movable pivotal or rubber bearings 40 and 41respectively. The shackles 42 and 43 are in turn connected by similarlyconstructed universally movable bearings 44 and 45 to the lowersuspension arms 4.

In the rear the sway bar 46 extends transversely of and is rotatablysupported by the frame 1 in bearings 47 and 48 with the sway bar arms 49and 50 extending rearwardly in a substantially horizontal plane. Thefree ends of the arms 49 and 50 are connected to the rear shackles 53and 54 by the universally movable joints 51 and 52 respectively. Theshackles 53 and 54 are in turn connected by universally movable bearings55* and 56 to the axle housing 12.

The drawings vary in the arrangement of the upper suspension arms forguiding the front wheels 2.

Fig. 1 shows an upper control arm arrangement as disclosed in applicantsU. S. Patent No.- 2,580,558 issued January 1, 1952, and designed tosecure both caster and camber control during banking of thesuperstructure. The control arm 5 is connected at its inner end by meansof a ball and socket joint 57 to the frame 1. The ball and socket joint57 is positioned relative to the axis of the banking hinge 9 in such away that a controlling fore and aft movement for the upper end of thewheel support member 6 is secured. Torque forces to be transmitted fromthe wheel to the frame are carried exclusively by the lower suspensionarm 4 which is connected to the wheel support member 6 by means of auniversal joint with a vertical shaft 58 and a substantially horizontalshaft 59. The axis of the vertical shaft 58 extends through the centerof the ball and socket joint 11 and constitutes the king pin axis forthe wheel steering mechanism. The horizontal shaft 59- constitutes oneof the axes placed to form the quadrangle for wheel oscillation.

In the rear, upper torque rods 60 and 61 extend longitudinally of thevehicle and are each connected at the forward end to the frame 1 by balland socket joint 62 and connected at the rear end to the rear axlehousing 1 2 by ball and socket joint 63.

Fig. l discloses in dash-dot lines the main axes 64 of the steeringshaft and steering rod outlines placed similarly to those disclosed inapplicants U. S. Patent No. 2,581,030, issued January 1, 1952, and shownto serve as an indication only for the proper placing of the relatedparts for the steering mechanism.

Figs. 2 to 4 show a new upper control arm arrangement wherein advantagehas been taken of the fact that the roll banking geometry places theroll banking motion center in the height of the center of mass of thesuperstructure which is generally located not much higher than the upperwheel suspension. arms. The arc of travel for the outer end of the uppersuspension arm 5 therefore is nearly identical during oscillation andduring roll banking. By coordinating the travel are for the lowersuspension arm 4 the king pin axis can be kept substantially in itsvertical position in side elevation and caster disturbance can beavoided. The upper wheel suspension arm 5 is hingedly connected to theframe 1 to swing about the hinge axis line 65. The Wheel support member.6 is connected by ball and socket joint 66 to the lower suspension arm4 to allow the member 6 which in this case becomes in effect the kingpin to absorb slight diiferences in arc travel which will occur bothduring roll banking and oscillation.

The tie rod 10 described above as interconnecting the outer ends of thefront wheel carriers 3 is shown more specifically as connected by meansof ball and socket joints 67 to the outer ends of the lower suspensionarms 4.

A vehicle roll banking arm as employed in this specification and in someof the claims may now be defined as that part of the supportingstructure of a roll banking vehicle constituting one of at least a pairof inter-connected supports between the superstructure and either theroad or rigid axle, comprising a universally movable joint at one endguided in its banking movement relative to the opposite end of the armstructure in efiect by an inclined hinge at said opposite end to therebymove along a predetermined path whereby the plane of the arm con tainingthe center of the universally movable joint and the inclined hinge axisintersects the median vertical longitudinal plane in static position ina line passing near (instead of substantially above) the center ofgravity of that part of the superstructure supported by said pair ofsupports at the point of intersection of the line with a transversevertical plane containing the universally movable joints of the pair ofsupports, said roll banking arm structure constituting also the verticaloscillation mechanism for guiding the superstructure for verticaloscillaa transverse vertical plane containing the universally movablejoint being furnished by the tire to road contact in the case of anindependent wheel suspension.

The definition is identical to the one established for banking arms withthe exception of defining the position of the intersecting line for theplanes as being near instead of substantially above the center of massof the superstructure.

Applied to the embodiments of the present invention as shown in thedrawings, the roll banking axis 68 extends longitudinally of thesuperstructure at approximately the center of mass thereof and isestablished by the effective inclined banking axes of the correspondingroll banking arms. The effective inclined banking axis for each frontbanking arm is established as a resultant of the hinge axis 9 and theofiset connection 57, in case of Fig. l, and the axis 65, in the case ofFigs. 2 to 5, inclusive, determining the arcuate travel line for theuniversally movable joint furnished by the tire to road contact point.Similarly the effective inclined banking axis for each rear banking armis established as a resultant of the hinge axis 16 and the offsetconnection 62, determining the arcuate travel line for the universallymovable joint 17 between the banking arm and the rear axle structure 12.Roll banking arms as shown in Figs. 2 to 4 give greater strength andmore favorable load distribution on the frame of the forces guided fromthe wheels by means of the suspension mechanism to the frame.

A superstructure supported by roll banking arms constitutes a mechanismwherein the superstructure can be caused to roll about its center ofmass axis by applying a force outside its center of mass. Since thecentrifugal force will act upon the center of mass directly no bankingturn will occur from centrifugal force unless a separate force isapplied outside the center of mass of the superstructure. Such a forceis available where sway bars are embodied between the superstructure andthe wheel suspension elements of a vehicle.

Figs. 7 and 8 schematically illustrate a sway bar without loadapplication and load applied to one end only, and without loadapplication and load applied to both ends in opposite directions,respectively. Where one end is loaded only the torsional deflection tocarry the load is distributed over the full length of the sway bar.Where both ends are loaded in opposite direction the torsionaldeflection for each load will be carried by onehalf of the length of thesway bar only, and twice as much resistance will occur on each end forany given displacement of the end of the sway bar lever, since one wheelmoving upwardly relative to the frame lifting the sway bar lever on thatside is not only resisted by the sway bar but also by the fact that thelocation of the other end of the sway bar does not remain stationaryrelative to the frame but is shifted downwardly at that time.

The dilference in resistance between the two conditions: one wheel uponly, and one wheel upthe other wheel down, as applied to a Vehicleconstitutes a force available for operation of the roll banking armsupported superstructure.

Fig. 6 illustrates in dot-dash outline 69 the frame position and a swaybar 79 as deflected during curve ride typical for standard cars. Thisdeflection is caused by the lowering of the curve outside part of theframe and superstructure towards the road and the lifting of the curveinside part of the frame and superstructure away from the road under theinfluence of the centrifugal force turning the vehicle about itsoscillation deflection motion center located near the road.

By providing by means of roll banking arms freedom for thesuperstructure to turn easily about its own center of mass the sway barwill find little resistance to take or maintain its originalnon-deflected position turning thereby the superstructure about its rollbanking motion center. This turn is accompanied by a lateral shifting ofthe sway bar bearings 36 and 37 in the front and 47 and 48 in the rearsimultaneously with the front and rear end of the frame 1 extendingbelow the turning axis for the banking motion. The sway bars 35 and 46are also shifted laterally. Where the shackles 42 and 43 in the frontand the shackles 53 and 54 in the rear are arranged vertically, thecorresponding sway bars 35 and 4.6 and with them the superstructure willremain in a horizontal position after completion of the turn of thesuperstructure about its banking motion center, because the distancefrom the outer ends of the sway bar arms to the road remainssubstantially unchanged.

This distance can be made to diflfer between the two sides of thevehicle, by arranging the shackles 42 and 43 in the front and 53 and 54in the rear inclined to each other, while still placing the front andthe rear pair of shackles each in a vertical transverse plane. Anylateral shift of the lower part of the superstructure towards theoutside of the curve during the turn of the superstructure about itsoscillation center near the road and its own center of mass will resultin a shift of the sway bars into an inclined position since the curveoutside operating arm of the sway bar will be lifted and the curveinside operating arm will be lowered effecting an increased turn of thesuperstructure about its banking motion center. As the sway bar ispositioned so the superstructure will stay relative to the road. Theshackles 42, 43 and 53, 54, function only as guide links and not assupport links. The weight of the superstructure will still be carried bythe main support springs 13 and 19.

Thus, the banking turn can be increased and accelerated by arranging theshackles 42, 4-3 and 53, 54 inclined towards each other and locatingthem lower than the roll banking center for the superstructure.

The return of the superstructure from the banked position to the levelposition is secured by the release of the unsymmetrical loading of themain springs tending to deflect the sway bars which in turn find relieffrom that deflection by rolling the superstructure into its normalupright position.

The freedom of the sway bars 35 and 46 to turn in their respectivesupport bearings 36, 37 and 47, 48 allows the superstructure to rollinto its banked position without being pulled downwardly simultaneouslyby the shackles, although the upper end of the shackle on the curveinside will always move downwardly more than the shackle on the curveoutside will lift its upper end during the lateral shift of the twoends.

A banking of the superstructure therefore is secured during curve ridesince the roll banking hinges provide freedom to bank and the sway barscause the banking.

As stated above, any unsymmetrical load application upon thesuperstructure will tend to roll it about its roll banking axis andsince the main support springs of the vehicle are attached to thesuperstructure, reaction loads resulting from wheel shock loads andother unsymmetrical wheel loadings will tend to cause the superstructureto roll about its newly created roll banking motion center, unless theforces are guided in a direction which excludes a lever arm relative tosaid motion center. Here again the sway bars, constituting a secondspring opposing each wheel in its oscillation travel in addition to themain support spring which also opposes such oscillation travel, may beemployed to eliminate rather than increase the roll effect of singlewheel oscillation upon the superstructure by reversing the direction ofturn initiated by the main springs.

In Figs. 9 and 10, wheel 2 is shown in its Down position and Up positionrespectively relative to the frame 1. In both cases, the reaction on thesuperstructure caused by the loading of the sway bar 35 is in adirection opposite to the reaction on the superstructure caused by thesubtractional or additional loading respectively of the main supportspring 18. Since, expressed in wheel rate, both springs causesubstantially equal, about lbs. per inch travel rate, and the reactionpoints on the frame have equal distances from the roll banking motioncenter, single wheel oscillation in general will not cause thesuperstructure to roll.

Only where one-wheel-up and the other wheel-down position develops andespecially where it develops on both ends of the vehicle simultaneouslyand for a greater length of time, will the increase in the loading ofthe sway bars during that particular loading cause the superstructure tobank. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the position of the superstructure instraight ahead ride and during banking respectively.

Present-day spring resistance against oscillation of a wheel is usuallycomposed of a main support spring resistance of 80 lbs. per inch whichis efiective during both wheels of a pair up movement. If one wheel onlymoves upwardly, the sway bar adds another lbs. per inch to theresistance resulting in a lbs. per inch resistance of travel. If onewheel moves up while the other wheel moves downwardly, the sway bar addsanother 100 lbs. per inch resistance against such movement on each sidecausing a total resistance of 280 lbs. per inch per wheel during curveride. While in the initial stage of banking only the last-named 100 lbs.per inch per wheel resistance can be counted upon for operating the rollbanking mechanism, once the resistance resulting from the main supportspring has been fully absorbed and the lower suspension arms restagainst their stops, the full 200 lbs. sway bar resistance times 4 inchwheel travel times 4 wheels giving 3200 lbs. which will be available tobe operative on a 20 inch lever arm (half the distance between bearings36 and 37) and roll the superstructure into the banked position.

Since in banking cars of the pendulum type the lever arm of operation ordistance between the center of banking motion and the center of gravityis for practical reasons kept shorter than 20 inches a greater bankinginitiating moment is available in the roll banking mechasarcomas nismaccording to this invention than in vehicles of the pendulum kind.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as withinthe scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

I claim: v

I. A vehicle comprising a superstructure adapted to bank on turns, aplurality of sets of banking arms disposed to support saidsuperstructure and spaced longitudinally of the same, each set ofbanking arms being connected to the superstructure and constituting atleast a pair of opposed banking arms spaced laterally apart on oppositesides of the longitudinal center line of the superstructure andextending from the superstructure to the effective road support thereforwith the ends of the arms for each pair of banking arms embodying ineffect a universally movable joint at one corresponding end of each armand a skew pivotal banking axis at the other end of each arm, meansinterconnecting the banking arms of each pair to retain said effectiveuniversally movable joints for the corresponding pair in substantiallyconstant spaced relation, the plane of each banking arm of a pair ofopposed arms containing the corresponding banking axis and the center ofthe universally movable joint therefor meeting the plane of the otherarm of the pair in a banking motion center line for the pair passingnear the height of the efiective center of mass for the portion of thesuperstructure supported by the pair of arms at the point where thatbanking motion center line crosses over the effective transverse roadline at the outer ends of the arms, said banking arms each comprising abanking hinge support member free to turn about said skew pivotalbanking axis to allow banking of the superstructure relative to theroad, resilient means associated with each banking arm and disposed toprovide for relative vertical oscillation between the superstructure andthe point of effective road support for the corresponding banking arm,additional resilient means associated with each banking arm and disposedto provide free parallel wheel pair oscillation and to resist singlewheel oscillation and provide increased resistance against oppositelydirected wheel pair oscillation whereby the increased resistance isutilized to lift the curve outside of the superstructure and lower thecurve inside turning the superstructure about said banking motion centerwhile the vehicle negotiates a turn, each lower suspension arm extendingbeyond its inner hinge longitudinally to carry said first-namedresilient means for the support of the superstructure, and a tie rodconnecting at least one banking arm disposed in the front of the vehicleto one banking arm disposed in the rear of the vehicle to induce thefront and rear pairs of banking arms to move laterally in unison duringthe banking of the superstructure.

2. A vehicle comprising a superstructure adapted to roll bank on turns,a plurality of sets of front and rear wheel carriers disposed to supportsaid superstructure and spaced longitudinally of the same, each set ofcarriers together with the wheels associated therewith constituting atleast a pair of opposed roll banking arms arranged to secure a rollbanking motion center located in the height of the center of gravity ofthe superstructure, resilient means associated with each carrier anddisposed to provide for relative vertical oscillation between thesuperstructure and the point of effective road support for thecorresponding banking arm, said roll banking arms each including a rollbanking hinge support member having an axis located inclined towards themedian plane and the vertical transverse planes for the vehicleintersecting the wheel centers and securing freedom for thesuperstructure to roll about an effective motion center locatedapproximately in the height of its center of mass, additional resilientmeans in the form of a sway bar carried by the superstructure at atleast one end and connected to the outer ends; of the wheel carriers bymeans of shackles arranged to secure roll banking about the bankingmotion center, saidwheel carriers resiliently supporting thesuperstructure and resisting wheel oscillation with a reaction load onthe superstructure substantially equal and in a direction opposite tothat caused by said sway bars, and a tie rod connecting at least onefront. roll banking arm to one rear roll banking arm.

3. A vehicle comprising a superstructure adapted to roll bank on turns,a plurality of sets of wheel carriers for the structure, each set ofwheel carriers constituting at least a pair of opposed roll bankingarms, each said roll banking arm including a roll banking hinge supportmember having a roll banking hinge axis inclined to the vertical andlongitudinal center planes of the superstructure so as to secure ineffect a roll banking motion center located substantially in the heightof the center of mass of the superstructure, resilient means includingtwo transversely extending torsion sway bars hingely connected one ateach end to the superstructure with operating arms extending therefromat their outer ends in a longitudinal direction, inclined shacklespivotally connected to the operating arms and to said wheel carriers andarranged to secure increased and accelerated roll banking of thesuperstructure during curve ride, said carriers comprising. lowersuspension arms cantilevering longitudinally beyond their inner hingeattachments, the ends of the cantilever arms carrying shackles andresilient means constituting the main support springs for the support ofthe superstructure, the shackles for operation of the sway bars beingpositioned to. cooperate with the correspondingly positioned shacklesbetween the main support springs and the cantilever arms to secure abanked position of the superstructure during curve ride, and a tie rodconnecting at least one roll banking arm disposed in the front of thevehicle to one roll banking arm disposed in the rear of the vehicle toinduce the front and rear pairs of roll banking arms to move laterallysubstantially in unison during the roll banking of the superstructure.

4. A vehicle comprising a superstructure and paired front and rearwheels and wheel carriers therefor mounted at opposite sides of thesuperstructure, front and rear pairs of hinges connecting said wheelcarriers to the superstructure by means of roll banking hinge supportmembers, the axis of each hinge being inclined both laterally andlongitudinally of the vehicle and intersecting the axis of the oppositehinge in the longitudinal median plane of the vehicle and arranged toprovide freedom for the turn of the superstructure about its center ofmass for roll banking of the same, said front and rear wheel carrierseach comprising a wheel suspension arm articulated relative to thesuperstructure to pivot about two axes one of which constitutes the rollbanking hinge axis, the front wheel carriers each comprising in additiona Wheel suspension arm connected by a universally movable connection tothe superstructure at a point spaced from said inclined axis and beinghingedly connected at the outer end by means of a ball and socket jointto a wheel support member, resilient means comprising sway barsresisting at an increased rate oppositely directed wheel oscillation ofa pair of wheels as compared to single wheel oscillation while notresisting parallel wheel oscillation of the pair, the increasedresistance being utilized to secure the desired roll banking duringcurve ride, each lower suspension arm extending longitudinally beyondits inner hinge to resiliently carry the superstructure, and guidingmeans disposed to induce the front and rear wheel carriers to movelaterally in unison as the superstructure rolls into its bankedposition.

5. In a vehicle having a superstructure, front and rear wheels and Wheelcarriers including spindle carriers and resilient means mounted atopposite sides of the superstructure, roll banking hinges connectingeach of said wheel carriers to the superstructure, the axis of each ofsaid roll banking hinge being upwardly inclined towards the longitudinalaxis of the vehicle and towards the Wheel with which it is associated,whereby lateral forces acting upon the superstructure will tend torotate the same about a longitudinal axis located in the height of itscenter of gravity to cause it to roll bank into a direction opposite tothat of such force and will shift the center of gravity of thesuperstructure in the direction of such force during deflection of saidresilient means, said front wheel carriers including upper and lowersuspension arms, each upper suspension arm being hingedly attached tothe superstructure and attached by means of a ball and socket joint tothe corresponding wheel spindle carrier, each lower suspension arm beinghingedly attached to a member carrying said roll banking hinge and beingconnected by a ball and socket joint to said wheel spindle carrier,resilient means comprising sway bars resisting at an increased rateoppositely directed wheel oscillation of a pair as compared to singlewheel oscillation and leaving free parallel wheel oscillation of a pairof wheels, said increased resistance being utilized to secure rollbanking during curve ride, each lower suspension arm extending beyondits inner hinge longitudinally, additional resilient means carried bysaid lower arm extensions for the support of the superstructure, andguiding means disposed to induce the front and rear wheel carriers tomove laterally in unison as the superstructure rolls into its bankedposition.

6. A motor vehicle comprising a superstructure supported by wheels andcorresponding wheel carriers spaced laterally apart on both sides of thelongitudinal center plane of the vehicle and constituting parts of rollbanking arms connected by means of inclined hinges to the superstructureto provide freedom for the superstructure to roll about its center ofmass during curve ride, said carriers each comprising upper and lowersuspension arms, and resilient means including torsion bars carried bythe superstructure and disposed to provide for vertical oscillation ofthe outer end of each roll banking arm, the lower suspension armscantilevering rearwardly in the front and forwardly in the rear tooperate by means of shackles said torsion bars carrying thesuperstructure, resilient means including two transversely extendingtorsion sway bars hingedly connected one at each end to thesuperstructure with operating arms extending therefrom at their outerends in a longitudinal direction, inclined shackles pivotally connectedto the operating arms of said sway bars and to the lower suspension armsof said carriers and arranged to secure increased and accelerated rollbanking of the superstructure during curve ride, each suspension armbeing resiliently opposed in its oscillation movement by said first andsecond named resilient means, said first named resilient means tendingto roll the superstructure in one direction about its center of massduring single wheel oscillation and said second named resilient meanstending to roll the superstructure in the opposite direction so as toestablish balance for the superstructure during single wheeloscillation, and guiding means disposed to induce the front and rearWheel carriers to move laterally in unison as the superstructure rollsinto its banked position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,423,002 Mercier July 18, 1922 2,341,726 Kolbe Feb. 15, 1944 2,517,611Utz Aug. 8, 1950 2,580,558 Kolbe Jan. 1, 1952

